BY CHIKA OKEKE, Abuja
A Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mohammed Ndarani has encouraged the Federal Government to adopt out-of-court settlement on cases involving Nnamdi Kanu and other agitators'.
This is even as he noted that such matters should be resolved through a formidable national committee of Arbitration, adding that the move will lead to peace and unity in diversity.
Ndarani, who is the Grand Patron of One Nation for Asiwaju Support Group disclosed this while briefing journalists on Thursday in Abuja.
"In my opinion, court may not be the solution to the above matter, if peace must reign in the nation.
"President Bola Tinubu should consider Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) mechanisms like arbitration, conciliation and mediation in some of the cases concerning the agitators," he added.
News Rider reports that ADR is any method of conflict resolution that takes place outside of the courtroom.
It involves processes and techniques of conflict resolution without litigation, just as it empowers parties to work together using a framework to amicably settle complex issues.
He lamented that the political atmosphere in Nigeria is tense, with tribal and religious issues arising daily by some marginalised and aggrieved persons.
He said: "In present times, early resolution of a dispute not only saves valuable time and money for the parties to the dispute, but also promotes peace and unity.
"Section 17 of the Federal High Court Act and section 174 of the 1999 constitution (as ammended), provide that parties can explore alternative options for both civil and criminal matters.
"The treason matter involving Omoyele Sowore, leader of Revolution Now Movement and a presidential candidate for the 2023 election; and also the terrorism case against Bello Badejo, leader of the Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, both of which cases were withdrawn by the Federal Government, is commendable.
"There is therefore, the need to seek further peace and unity of the nation because high profile cases like Kanu’s are best resolved as quickly as possible because they evoke a lot of sentiments.
"Another reason why an expeditious resolution of the matter must be sought is because it will begin to heal festering wounds which we can certainly do without at this stage of our nationhood."
The senior lawyer reminded the Federal Government that justice delayed is invariably justice denied.
"Talking about litigation generally in our courts, it is clear that some matters drag on interminably, and this has a knock-on effect on the willingness of our people to seek justice in our law courts," he said.
Ndarani hinted that arbitration could equally help in decongesting the courts that are currently bogged down by lot of issues they could expeditiously handle.
"Indispensable as the role of courts is in the society, the process is usually long drawn out and hence, the need to explore more frequently the option of alternative dispute resolution.
"The sooner we find alternative means of quickly disposing of these worrisome matters, the better for the promotion of peace and harmony in our country.
“I will advise the president to look inwards to see how to settle most of these pockets of agitations that have given rise to loss of lives and property.
"Arbitration can bring rest to the East, peace and rest to the wanton killings in the Middle belt, as well as other parts of the country," he added.
Ndarani advised that Nigerians should be patient with Tinubu since he met an unjust society, saying that it is difficult to re-arrange a system that had already collapsed before the advent of his administration.
"Nigeria's problem is the few elites who put their interest on the first.
"I advise the president to avoid them and explore all mechanisms to promote peace in Nigeria rather than seek prosecution.
"If Nigeria is peaceful, Tinubu will do well for the nation," he added.
He urged president Tinubu to watch out for little foxes that spoil the vine, while trying to hold Nigeria together as one indivisible nation.
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